Pew’s survey finds many Black Americans define family to include extended kin, close friends, and nonlegal ties who provide emotional and financial support. That pattern highlights dense care networks that operate outside formal institutions.
— Recognizing nonlegal family ties matters for policy design (benefits, caregiver support, social services) and for how researchers measure household and kin obligations.
Pew Research Center report 'For Many Black Americans, Family Extends Beyond Birth and Legal Ties' (Feb 25, 2026) — sections on emotional support, financial help, and expanded definitions of family.